ABRAHAM ABULAFIA

The Kaballah of Abraham Abulafia: The Differing Views of Moshe Idel and Gershom Scholem

The Kaballah of Abraham Abulafia: The Differing Views of Moshe Idel and Gershom Scholem

Introduction

Abraham ben Samuel Abulafia is a Kabbalist and a great figure of the Jewish Middle Ages. Unlike many Kabbalists of that time, we only know that, through their work, we have a wealth of biographical information thanks to the meticulous care to give Abulafia took elements of his life even within his works. Abraham ben Samuel Abulafia was born in Zaragoza in 1240. He spent his youth in Tudela in Navarre. His father taught him the study of the Bible and its commentaries, grammar, the Mishna and the Talmud. He studied medicine and philosophy, especially the works of Maimonides in which his thought will always be heavily influenced. Aboulafia writes even a mystical commentary on the Guide of the Perplexed (Scholem, 1995a).

He soon begins to study Kabbalah, and more particularly the Sefer Yetzirah which he read the twelve comments. It then comes into contact with a group of Kabbalists mystics who taught him the three methods of interpretation of the Kabbalah: the notarikon (acrologie), the Gematria and tseruf. At the age of 31 years on Barcelona, he is touched by the prophetic spirit after obtaining knowledge of the True Name of God. It is then believed to have reached, by meditating on the letters and numbers, the prophetic inspiration and the rule of Messiah. He left Spain again in order to transmit, the height of the divine essence that inspired him, his knowledge. He wrote several books prophetic sign that names the same numerical value as its real name: Zachary, Raziel (Idel, 1988a).

This paper would focus on the study of the differing views on, “The Kaballah of Abraham Abulafia” that have been presented by Moshe Idel and Gershom Scholem.

Discussion

Moshe Idel's views of “The Kaballah of Abraham Abulafia”

Moshe Idel, whose doctoral dissertation was the first in-depth study of the doctrine and the author, classifies its written in the following thematic groups:

Guide mystical experience

The most numerous and important of his works are these manuals that describe in detail the various methods to get the prophecy (such as "ecstasy") and union with God (debekut), i.e., what we now call "mystical experience". The most important are: Hayye Olam ha-a-Ba (The Book of Eternal Life) Or ha-Sekhel (The Light of Reason) Sefer Imre (Words of Beauty), Ideas and Otzar Ganuse Sefer ha-Heseq (The Book of desire), the first three widely used distribution as specified large number of manuscripts, which are found and are the most prestigious Abulafia among themselves Kabbalists (Idel, 1988a).

The interpretation of the classic texts of Judaism

In addition to numerous interpretations, writes Maimonides confused Guide and Sefer Yetsirá, retained his commentary on the Torah entitled "Sefer ha-Maftehot, as well as various" prophetic books" (Idel, 1988a).

Prophetic work

In 1279, he wrote a series of books "prophetic" of whom only one survived, Sefer ha-'Ot (Book of the signal), which refers to the mystical and messianic vision of it for life ...